The invention relates to a surgical suture instrument. Suture instruments of the type being discussed here permit the tissue to be sutured. For example, ligaments can be gripped with a forceps jaw and subsequently pierced with a needle displaceably arranged in the suture instrument, wherein a thread with the needle is transported through the tissue.
Such suture instruments are known from US 2005/0288690 A1 as well as DE 103 05 797 A1. The suture instruments described there, in each case comprise a shank on whose distal end a forceps jaw with a stationary and a pivotable forceps jaw part is arranged. A curved guide channel which runs out at a side of the stationary forceps jaw part, which lies opposite the pivotable forceps jaw part, is formed on the stationary jaw part. The pivotable forceps jaw part includes an opening which corresponds to the position of the run-out of the guide channel, and through which the needle is led after the piercing of tissue held in the forceps jaw.
The suture instrument according to US 2005/0288690 A1 includes a needle, with which a lateral groove for receiving a thread is provided on a longitudinal side. A slot which is directed transversely to the longitudinal extension of the forceps jaw part and which creates an open connection to the guide channel, is provided corresponding to the position of the needle in the guide channel of the stationary forceps jaw part. The thread may be applied into the lateral groove of the needle via this slot. One disadvantage of this design is the fact that the thread, given an imprecise arrangement in the groove formed on the needle, may jam in the region of the guide channel, which connects to the groove on the distal side, and between the channel wall and the needle, so that the suture instrument is no longer capable of application. A further disadvantage with this instrument is the fact that the needle needs to be pushed via a feed channel extending in the shank over the complete shank length, to the guide channel of the stationary forceps jaw part. This is particularly difficult when curved needles which are adapted to the curvature of the guide channel are used.
With the suture instrument known from DE 103 05 797 A1, it is not necessary to transport the needle through the whole shaft to the guide channel of the stationary forceps jaw part. This suture instrument, on the proximal side of the stationary forceps jaw part, includes a longitudinal slot which communicates with the guide channel of the forceps jaw part. However, here too, the application of curved needles is problematic, since these can only be introduced into the longitudinal slot with some difficultly. A further disadvantage of this suture instrument is the fact that one may only apply needles to which a thread is fastened. This leads to the fact that a multitude of needle-thread combinations must be kept ready for differing suture tasks.
Basically, one may ascertain that the surgical suture instruments known until now are difficult to operate with regard to the insertion of the needle and/or have disadvantages with regard to operational reliability.